Chapter 4: The Caged Bird Seal
A couple of years later.
A small shadow snuck up on Hiashi's sleeping form.
"What is it Neji?", Hiashi said without turning to face him or even opening his eyes.
"Chichi-ue, my head hurts...", said little Neji with laboured breathing.
Hiashi sighed deeply and pulled himself up. He caught hold of Neji and turned his face to face the dim lamplight. His blood froze in his veins in fear. Neji's face was flushed. The skin around his eyes was red and puffy from rubbing. The veins around his eyes were raised and throbbing visibly. His tiny frame was burning up.
"When did this start?", Hizashi asked barely able to keep the fear and concern out of his voice.
"Higurashi-sama pushed Chakra into my eyes during the morning training session... He said that it would help me activate my Byakugan... It hurts... father... I can't sleep... I am seeing things, father... I see things even when my eyes are closed... It hurts so much.", Neji moaned in a low voice.
Hizashi had never seen Neji cry or complain. During the times when he trained him, Neji had pressed his lips together and endured the pain and fatigue. His tiny frame would stiffen up but he would never complain. For Neji to come to him and complain of pain, would mean that the pain had to be excrutiating. He was just like his mother. He remembered Kagura's stiff-lipped tolerance of pain. But then again, Neji was a splitting image of his mother. He had Hyuga Kagura's brown hair, her angular features, her pale violet eyes. His chakra signature was a miniature version of Kagura's. In short he was a grim reminder of everything he had failed to protect.
"May I sleep in your room, father? I promise I will be really quiet.", Neji said quietly. There was a plea in his voice. Hizashi felt a pang of guilt.
"Yes, son. Come on. No need to pull out another pallet. You can sleep in mine."
Neji smiled despite his pain. Hizashi was reinstated as an ANBU captain, upon his request to the Hokage: the third Hokage, lord Sarutobi; as the fourth had sacrificed himself to protect the village. Between the inhumanly long working hours as an ANBU captain and time spent in the local sake bars around the Hyuga district, Hizashi was rarely home. He, very infrequently, spent time with his son. The boy was a sweet biddable little thing, who absolutely hero-worshipped Hizashi. His face would light up at the sight of him. He would bow respectfully and greet him but when Hizashi wasn't looking he would quietly slip his tiny hands into his own rough callussed hands. He was usually left to his own devices. Old man Harada hardly had time to spare and even if he did, he didn't come to see his grandson. Only Higurashi would send for him when he trained all the Branch house children. Gradually, Higurashi began to acknowledge his talent in tai-jutsu. Neji was four year old, an age in which, like a great many Hyuga, he should have been able to a activate a fledging Byakugan but because of a little difficulty in directing his chakra to his eyes, he still couldn't activate his Kekkei Genkai. Though, only a handful of the Hyuga children could beat him in a sparring match even with their immature Byakugan activated. Still, Higurashi being a hard task master couldn't accept a Hyuga child unless he could activate his byakugan. Hizashi sighed and he ran his hands in soothing circles across Neji's back and willed him to sleep.
-x-
"Where're we going father?", Asked Neji with a skip in his step. He was extremely happy at being allowed to acompany his father. Hizashi followed the other representatives of the Branch-family. His face was ashen, he felt a desperate sense forboding. He didn't have the courage to tell Neji where he was taking him and why. He was taking Neji to be marked with the cursed seal. Numbly, he thought at how equanimous he was regarding his own branding. It was over quickly. A blinding flash of unimaginable pain and blessed oblivion after that for the next few minutes. His father had been extremely careful in placing the seal on him so as to cause him minimal pain, even juuken-ing him unconscious after a second so that he didn't have to endure the worst. Hiashi, however had reason to place the seal on Neji as painfully as he wanted. Hiashi knew of Hizashi's affair with Hanako. Hizashi knew his brother... He was someone who held grudges, even irrational ones.
Numbly, he along with Branch House representatives arrived in the Hyuga Main Family compound. He spotted Hiashi, with his arms folded, his haori billowing slightly in the winter breeze, looking at him distastefully. Hanako was standing a few paces behind him, her face pale with worry, brows knitting in dread. Behind Hiashi's intimidating form, stood Hinata. She hid behind Hiashi shyly when she noticed Hizashi staring at her. Hizashi felt a small tug in his clothes.
"Who is that father? That girl hiding behind Hiashi sama?", asked Neji innocently.
"That is Hinata-sama. She is your... cousin.", said Hiashi, almost saying 'sister'.
"She's cute.", said Neji unabashedly.
"Well, Neji, after today, it is your job to watch over her. You are to be her protector.", said Hizashi smiling despite himself.
"Why?", asked Neji.
"Because she is the future head of the clan."
"Does that mean, I can play with her?", asked Neji eagerly.
Hizashi chuckled sadly.
"Yes, Neji. You can play with her."
He doubted after today he would ever want to be near her. He knew being branded at such a young age would scar him for life. Hiashi was extremely quick in pronouncing Hinata as his heir and Neji as her guardian. He suspected that it was because he wanted to brand Neji as quickly as possible. For the first time in a long while he felt a jolt of anger at his twin. A caustic burn at the pit of his stomach. If Hiashi so much as harms a hair on Neji's head, all bets are off... He'd kill him before he even hits the ground. Hizashi prided himself on his self control but today, he knew that he wouldn't be able to stand and watch if Hiashi decides to hurt Neji during the branding.
"Lord father, who is that boy?", asked Hinata shyly.
"He is Neji-kun. He is your cousin.", said Hiashi.
"He's scary.", said Hinata hiding behind him.
"As of today, he is your protector.", said Hiashi, "take a good look at him. He will protect you with his life, if need be."
"Why?"
Hiashi considered the question.
"Because he is family. And family will always protect you.", he said falsely. Hiashi found comfort in the idealistic innanities he had just said to placate Hinata's curiosity. It seemed to lessen his burden of guilt at what he was about to do.
Hiashi looked at his twin and began to doubt his decission. Hizashi's brat was lithe and pale, just like his father. He knew that putting the cursed seal on his frail frame would cause him excrutiating pain. The boy was smiling and looking around the compound curiously, just like Hizashi when they were both children. He felt a gutwrenching twang of guilt for what the fate he was imposing on the boy but it had to be done. He wanted Hinata to lead the Hyuga. Unless he pronounced her as heir, now, he knew that the elders would want Neji to be the next head of the clan. He was not averse to the idea. Only the thought of having a cursed seal placed on Hinata's delicate forehead, filled him with an unknown dread. He couldn't bear the thought of her large lavender eyes crinkling in agony. To save her from that horrible fate, he'd do anything.
Hanako felt as if her heart was breaking in two. She knew why her husband was doing this. It was revenge, plain and simple. He was doing it to punish Hizashi for the affair she had with him. Punish a small child for the sins of adults. She had begged and pleaded with him. He just shook his head with false remorse and said,
"Unless, it is done now, the elders will want him as the next heir and it will be Hinata, our daughter, who will be branded. Can you honestly wish a terrible fate like that on your own child."
His excuses had rung hollow.
The ceremony began. Hiashi re-read the scrolls. Neji's forehead was washed and he was given a ceremonial white kimono to wear.
Hinata looked at the ceremony with bashful curiosity. Everyone was wearing their finest clothes. The ceremony hall was freshly washed and tidied and covered with white linen. She had no idea, what would happen today would haunt her all her life.
The clan members lighted inscence and aromatic candles. They served a purpose beside creating an ambience. The smell of the candles and inscence would help in supressing the pain of the person who would bear the seal.
While this was going on Neji approached Hinata. Hinata retreated behind a a paper screen.
"Hello, Hinata-sama", said Neji bowing properly.
"He-hello", stuttered Hinata.
"I am Neji. Father said that I can play with you. Let's be friends.", said Neji smiling good-naturedly.
"...", Hinata opened her mouth to say something.
"Neji, come... the ceremony is about to begin.", called Hizashi.
"I have to go now. May I please come and play with you tomorrow?", asked Neji
Hinata nodded blushing.
Neji didn't understand why everyone seemed so serious. The naturally perceptive little boy realised that something wasn't right.
Hiashi raised his index and middle finger in a one handed mudra. He looked at the innocently confused face of Neji and stiffled a jolt of guilt.
He closed his eyes and channelled his chakra into his other hand that was placed on the scroll containing the seal. He saw the lurid green symbols rush into his palm and he turned toward Neji.
"Hold him down", instructed Hiashi to a pair of branch family members.
When Hideyoshi and Haruto held Neji tightly, he began to panic.
"Wait for my signal when you have to juuken his tenketstu", said Hiashi.
Both of the attendants nodded. The order was to render him unconscious until the seal settled.
When Hiashi placed his hand on Neji forehead, Neji gasped, for a full second nothing happened... Then the waves of pain hit him. Neji couldn't even begin to grasp the amount of pain that was wrecking his body. It felt as if every nerve in his body was on fire. It was a thousand times worse than when Ko had broken his arm during juuken training. It was worse than when he was stung by hornets in the Hyuga gardens.
"AAAAAAH!", screamed Neji as fragile chakra coils around his eyes flared up, activating his excrutiating byakugan.
That was when everything went fubar. Haruto and Hideyoshi could barely hold on to Neji's writhing form
"Hiashi-sama, should we knock him out...", began Haruto.
"Wait! With this much chakra in his system, you'd kill him if you did that!", said Hiashi beginning to panic.
Nearby the branch house members traid their best to restrain Hizashi. It took four men to restrain him.
"What are you doing to my son Hiashi! Stop!", thundered Hizashi, letting out a feral howl of anguish.
At last Neji collapsed unconscious from the pain.
"Hizashi, calm yourself!", urged a branch house member.
Hizashi pressed four different tenketsus on four of his captors rendering them unconscious and then like a madman rushed at his twin with every intention of killing him.
He sidestepped the main family members who came at him to stop him.
"HIIIAAAASHIII!", he screamed, his byakugan flaring up.
Hiashi could barely avoid the chakra-infused fist that would have ended his life had it hit him. The part of the floor his fist had landed in was crushed and splintered. Hiashi dropped into a fighting stance, seeing that there was no way to avoid this fight. He did his best to counter and avoid his twin's deadly blows. One open-handed palm thrust caught him squarely in the gut and he collapsed coughing out blood.
Hizashi towered over his prone form. He looked a demon from Hiashi's nightmares.
Just when he was about to deliver the killing blow, a Hyuga elder activated Hizashi's cursed seal.
"That is enough! Hizashi!"
Hizashi dropped to his knees and clutched at his forehead.
"AAARGH!", groaned Hizashi in pain.
"Lord elder! stop! He has come to his senses...", croaked Hiashi.
Hizashi grit his teeth and stood up painfully.
His chakra flared up and he opened one eye with effort.
"It... will... take... more than... just this pathetic... cursed seal to stop ME!", inunciated Hizashi with clenched teeth.
All of the Hyuga council memebers gasped at the sight and simultaniously performed the hand seals to enforse the activation of Hizashi's cursed seal.
"AAAAAARH!", scremed Hizashi before collapsing due to chakra depletion.